Downtown Watford Fire Under Investigation

Events at Watford Legion Branch 172 will go ahead as planned this week, despite smoke and water damage sustained in a fire Friday.

Warwick Township Fire Chief Rick Sitlington says the cause of the blaze at a building under renovations, between the Legion and Chinese restaurant, is still under investigation.

“There was no hydro to the building,” says Sitlington. “This is the second fire in this apartment, I’m going to say within the last two or three years, but the last time that we had a fire in there it was occupied. This time it was not. This time it was under renovations.”

He says the restaurant wasn’t damaged.

Legion President Robert Alcock says after the last fire, they were shut down for three months.

“We aren’t going to be shut down this time, we’re going to forge ahead,” says Alcock. “I’m thinking the ceiling tiles will have to be replaced because they absorbed some smoke and walls will have to at least be washed down, if not painted. There’s dry cleaning of flags and uniforms that will have to be done. Stuff like that.”

Alcock says public speaking Wednesday, a meat draw Friday and figure skating meat raffle Saturday are still a go.

Damage estimates have yet to be released.

Firefighters from Watford, Warwick and Alvinston responded to the building on Nauvoo Rd., between Front St. and Huron St., around 4:20pm.

OPP said there were no injuries.

The Ontario Fire Marshall’s Office was contacted and police said they would be assisting with the investigation if need be.